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There were 178 billion apps downloaded in 2017. That number is expected to swell to 258 billion by 2022. For businesses, mobile apps are a critical driver of success and digital growth. But, developing an app is only one piece of the app lifecycle. Those consumer-facing mobile apps require rounds of reviews; including unstructured testing.

77% of mobile users are concerned about the functionality of the apps they download. But, over half of all businesses say they don’t have the time or resources to adequately test their apps pre-release.

Finding a way to test usability and UX is a crucial component of a successful launch or update. Today, we’re going to look at how Topcoder can help you accelerate your app testing, and how crowdsourced quality assurance can save you time, money, and headaches.

Understanding Exploratory Unstructured Testing

When we think about the testing ecosystem, exploratory unstructured testing exists to guide further testing. Typically aimed at the “happy path” — or the most likely user pathways — exploratory unstructured testing (or in-the-wild testing) scopes out any UI issues, UX issues, functional issues, or content issues that an app may have. And, it leverages user sentiment analysis to give you insights into the functionality of your app when compared to your competitors’ apps.

The core benefit of unstructured exploratory testing is the ability to follow loose guidelines, provide documentation, log issues, and test environments while still giving testers the freedom to use critical thinking and savvy methods to find any potential issues.

How Topcoder Can Help

Successful exploratory testing campaigns require manpower. But, onboarding, training, and managing a group of in-house testers is expensive and time-consuming. And, hiring individual freelance testers typically cost over $50-an-hour each. The problem, of course, is that these freelancers aren’t connected on a common platform with a common goal outside of provided guidelines.

This is where Topcoder comes in. We offer access to thousands of global QA testers within the confines of a single platform and goal structure. So, you can leverage a deep pool of talent at-scale across a plethora of platforms.

So, how does it work?

Example: A Leading Australian Supermarket Chain

Winning in the current retail ecosystem requires a digital-first strategy. According to GE, 81% of retail shoppers conduct research online before making a purchase. And, 77% of shoppers are using a mobile phone to search for products online. To deliver this experience, retailers are leveraging apps to enhance the user experience, brand effectively, and, most importantly, collect valuable consumer data that they can use as a critical driver for personalization, positioning, and digital growth.

When a leading Australian supermarket chain approached us to help them test their new mobile application, we understood how critical QA testing their environment was going to be. By providing instant access to a global chain of QA testers, Topcoder was able to deliver incredible results on a tight timeframe.

Over the course of three days, Topcoder leveraged 64 testers to provide fresh perspectives on their application’s functionality and usability. UX, UI, and functional workflows were tested across 15 different OS/browser/device combinations. On top of workflow validation, Topcoder’s testers identified several functional defects, usability issues, and were able to gather feedback/suggestions for enhancing the UX for their users.

Final Thoughts

Are you worried that QA testing is going to be too expensive and time-consuming? Are you trying to fire out apps faster using a combination of Agile and DevOps, but you’re sacrificing end-quality by skipping fundamental QA phases? Don’t worry! We’ve got your back. Topcoder offers incredible QA value at-scale, and we provide global value to businesses looking to crowdsource testing elements to improve throughput and user experience.